New Year's Eve concerts and live music in New York

By Time Out editors, compiled by Tazi PhillipsPosted: Sunday November 30 2014

Celebrate 2015 to the sound of your favorite band or artist with these top picks of New Year's Eve concerts in NYC. Sing along to "Tiny Dancer" when Elton John plays Barclays Center, or dance the night away with EDM's biggest stars, Diplo and Skrillex, when they takeover Madison Square Garden with their Jack U project. Then continue the night by watching the fireworks or stopping by one of the many New Year's Eve parties around the city.

New Year's Eve concerts 2014

Critics and consumers reached a rare consensus in pegging Disclosure's debut, Settle, as the best dance record of 2013. The British brothers, currently on a massive world tour, have decided to ring in 2015 by bringing their sleek, soulful garage-house tracks to Pier 94. The Disclosure live experience is a guaranteed blowout, so remember, hydrate well and get ready to move.

Expert rock & roll mythologists the Hold Steady bring their tales of nostalgia, listlessness and inebriation to the 'Burg on New Year's Eve. The bar band extraordinaire is riding high from its latest, Teeth Dreams, so expect it to ring in 2015 with a fervent, noisy glory, aided by local DIYers the So So Glos.

If you like to go big on New Year’s Eve, we can’t think of anything bigger than catching two of EDM’s leading rock stars, Mad Decent honcho Diplo and dubstep king Skrillex, when they bring their Jack Ü project to Madison Square Garden. (Sorry, Phish fans. Better luck next year.)

While we reveled in the unexpected delights of his reflective 2013 solo release, The Diving Board, we're sure glad to see Sir Elton ushering in the New Year on Brooklyn's biggest stage: Swoon along to "Tiny Dancer," make juvenile hand gestures to "Crocodile Rock," smile meaningfully at your folks during "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." What's not to love?

Guitarist Mamady Kouyaté formed the Mandingo Ambassadors in Guinea in the late ’60s. Now living in New York, Kouyaté leads a new version of the outfit through funky, festive West African tunes every Wednesday night at Barbès.